Lancashire County Council says 4,500 jobs could be created with the onset of the development which is due to be worth £241million-a-year to the Preston and surrounding area economy.

Located just off the M65 and A6 junction the development would have thousands of square feet of new industrial units, new office space, IKEA and five new national retailers, a 120-bedroom hotel, family pub and up to 210 new homes.

Plans have been submitted following public consultation events and more than 20,000 leaflets distributed about the Cuerden plan to homeowners surrounding the site.

Leader of the county council Jennifer Mein said: “I am delighted that local people have participated in the consultation and I hope members of the public and stakeholders will continue to offer their feedback as the planning application moves forward.

“We have received some very useful feedback from the community. There is a lot of support for the creation of employment, economic growth, housing and accessible green space. Naturally there was interest in the highways and transport elements of the proposals.

“Our specialist advisers have considered all of the feedback and have proposed a highways scheme which we believe will work. This will be discussed with South Ribble Borough Council and the relevant highways bodies in due course.

“We will continue to engage with the local community and development team on the key issues as the planning process progresses.”

The plans have been tabled by the Eric Wright Group who are leading the development of Cuerden.

The submission of the planning application is a major step forwards in the process of developing the Cuerden Strategic Site. The potential benefits of this site are substantial and we believe that the planning application makes a strong case for this development.

“The proposed development will enable the wider site to be brought forward, making it an attractive location for businesses to invest in the area. South Ribble Borough Council will now consider all of the relevant documentation and we will update the community on the progress of the planning application.”

The planning application – which is submitted to South Ribble Borough Council – has full plans for some sections of the site – such as IKEA – but only outline plans for other areas where the developers are still filling in the detail.

Residents can give feedback on the plan via the Cuerden development website, by calling 08000890362 or emailing info@thisiscuerden.co.uk

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